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Parkinson's - 'the shaking palsy'

Parkinson's - 'the shaking palsy'

To mark World Parkinson's Disease Day on 11 April, we look at this common neuro-degenerative disease - its causes, prevalence and treatments.

What's the link between Pope John Paul II, boxer Muhammad Ali and actor Michael J Fox? Or between artist Salvador Dali, playwright Eugene O'Neill and actor Vincent Price?

The answer is Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological condition affecting movements we take for granted such as swallowing, walking and talking. Symptoms include repetitive shaking, slow movements and muscle stiffness.

World PD Day 2009
World Parkinson's Disease Day is marked on and around 11 April – the birthday of Dr James Parkinson in 1755 – by organisations concerned with Parkinson's disease in a number of countries.

Global symbol
The tulip symbol has been adopted by a number of Parkinson's disease organisations and groups around the world. The 'Dr James Parkinson Tulip' cultivar was registered in 1981 by a Dutch horticulturalist and launched as the global symbol of the disease on 11 April 2005 at the ninth World Parkinson's Disease Day.

The disease is named after Dr James Parkinson (1755-1824), a London doctor who first identified Parkinson's as a specific condition in 1817 in his 'Essay on the Shaking Palsy'.

Parkinson’s – a common disease
After Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's is the most common neuro-degenerative disease. It occurs through the loss of nerve cells that produce the chemical dopamine, a neurotransmitter which allows messages to be sent to the parts of the brain that co-ordinate movement. With the loss of dopamine-producing cells, these parts of the brain are no longer able to function normally

The first symptom of Parkinson's disease is often a trembling or shaking of a limb, especially when the body is at rest. This tremor often starts on one side of the body, frequently in one hand. Other symptoms include a shuffling gait and a stooped posture. The severity of symptoms tends to worsen over time.

Prevalence of Parkinson’s
Parkinson's is usually diagnosed after the age of 60, although one in 20 people diagnosed are under the age of 40 at the time of diagnosis.

It affects both sexes, although statistics indicate men are slightly more likely to develop the condition. The risk of getting the disease increases with age, with symptoms usually appearing in those who are over 50 years of age. However, younger people can also be diagnosed.

There are no precise figures on people with the disease. Organisations concerned with Parkinson's offer figures such as one million in the US and 120,000 in the UK.

Treatments for Parkinson’s
Currently there is no cure for Parkinson's, but much can be done to relieve symptoms, particularly in the early stages. Treatments include drugs to boost dopamine activity or mimic its effects.

Levodopa, which is converted to dopamine in the brain, can be used to replace the missing dopamine in the brain. Side-effects, however, especially with prolonged use, can be a problem. Non-drug treatments are also used, including occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

Research into Parkinson’s
Recent research in the US has involved making dopamine-producing nerve cells by using animal genetic material to form cells then transplanted into the same animal to treat Parkinson's symptoms.

Kieran Breen, R&D director of the Parkinson's Disease Society in the UK said of the "exciting" findings in a 25 March briefing: "Stem cell therapy offers great hope for repairing the brain in people with Parkinson's. It may ultimately offer a cure, allowing people to lead a life that is free from the symptoms of Parkinson's."

However, he added: "Researchers have already investigated the potential of using human embryonic stems cells from nerve tissue for Parkinson's stem cell research, but the majority of these dopamine-producing cells died after being transplanted into animal models of the condition."

The directions of research may have been delineated with this New York study, but safety concerns will clearly be a focus in future studies before any trials are conducted in humans.